The Khardung La or the Khardung Pass is a mountain pass situated in Ladakh. It is a high altitude pass that was built in the year 1976. It was originally built as a route to carry supplies to the heavily militarized Siachen Glacier. But later in the year 1988, it was opened to the public. And since then the pass has been a favorite among adventure seekers, especially automobile, bikes, and mountain biking enthusiasts. The roads are well maintained as it is still very strategically important to the Indian Armed Forces.
The pass is located at a precariously high altitude of 17,582 feet. It was the highest motorable pass in the world until it was overtaken recently by the road that was built to connect the Chisumle and Demchak villages of Ladakh.
Khardung La has been used as a route to travel through the mountains for centuries. It was a part of the ancient caravan route that connected Leh to Central Asia. Influences of Central Asian culture can still be seen in the regions to the north of the pass due to this very reason.
The Khardung La is not all about history and adventure; it is about beauty as well. The road to Khardung La from Leh is one of the most beautiful in the world and travelers are often spellbound by the scenery around them. Packaging a camera is a must if you are looking to travel to Khardung La, some of the photo opportunities available along the roads are very hard to resist.